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Women in the garden

I find it interesting that in some old gardening books, the authors felt compelled to point out that women can indeed garden.

J. B. Whiting wrote in his 1849 book, Manual of Flower Gardening for Ladies: With Directions for the Propagation and Management of the Plants Usually Cultivated in the Flower Garden:

“Gardening is not only one of the most innocent, but, when practised merely as a recreation, one of the most healthful, of all occupations; and, for these reasons, it is especially suitable, as an exercise both of the mind and the body, for ladies who pass much of their time in the country. To watch and tend the delicate seedling, through all the stages of its gradual development until it becomes a perfect plant; to mark the unfolding of the tender young leaves, and to observe the progressive expansion of the flower-buds into full-blown flowers, seems a peculiarly fitting employment for a refined and gentle female.”

There you have it. Gardening is innocent, recreational and healthful! It exercises the mind and the body. It also involves quite a bit of watching plants. All good, especially, if one is refined, and gentle, and female.

There's an equivalent to this in England -- the garden writer Jane Loudon. She married a very successful garden writer and (so she said) learned everything from him. Jane went on to write many books aimed specifically at women gardeners. And her books were great financial successes.

I am at such peace when wandering about in my garden. I love it. I have looked at Lady Jane tulips again this spring (in the catalog)and thought about planting them under my Jane magnolia. The two Janes would be a great combination.

Thanks so much for this great quote and reference! I love these 19th c books that see women as "sensitive plants" whose natures render them too delicate for the world outside the home. They assumed women would/should shrink from the rough world of business and politics. But what about childbirth and fertilizer?